A public meeting to discuss fire protection in Rush Township will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Hometown Fire Company in Hometown.

The meeting will review changes in fire protection to the township, according to Barry Messerschmidt, fire chief and president of Hometown Fire Company.

“It’s to inform the residents of Rush Township, especially Quakake, on fire protection,” Messerschmidt said. “There’s no fire company in Quakake; the fire house is still there, but it’s inactive.”

Messerschmidt said the meeting will discuss the facts about the changes, and address any questions township residents may have.

Earlier this month, township supervisors agreed to provide township firefighting funding only to the Hometown Volunteer Fire Company. That action cut all township funding to the Quakake Volunteer Fire Company.

Additionally, supervisors agreed to remove the Quakake Volunteer Fire Company from being called out for emergencies through the Schuylkill County 911 communications system.

The idea of a consolidation between the Hometown and Quakake fire companies was proposed by supervisors at a special meeting Sept. 18 between the supervisors and fire company officials. A second special township meeting was conducted Oct. 16.

Nearby, members of the Brockton Fire Company and Mary D Volunteer Fire Company in Schuylkill Township are also considering combining operations.